Wale Victor Folarin (born Olubowale Victor Akintimehin on September 21, 1984), better known by his stage name Wale (pronounced /ˈwɑːleɪ/), is an American rapper from Washington, D.C. Wale was born to Nigerian immigrant parents. He rose to prominence in 2006, when his song "Dig Dug (Shake It)" became popular in his hometown. Wale became locally recognized and continued recording music for the regional audience. Producer Mark Ronson discovered Wale in 2006 and signed him to Allido Records in 2007. While signe...